Great seal book

Love and Honor The

Gr e at Se a l e ssays

COM M E MOR ATING TH E OPE N ING of

THE ARMSTRONG STUDENT CENTER, 2014

David and Valerie Hodge

Love and Honor The

Gr e at Se a l e ssays

COM M E MOR ATING TH E OPE N ING of

THE ARMSTRONG STUDENT CENTER, 2014

Copyright Š 2013 Miami University. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced without the express prior written permission of the publisher. The use of brief quotations and/or excerpts from this publication is allowed for promotional and/or review purposes only.

First Edition.

First Printing: September 2013 Published by: Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056 Pen and ink sketches of Miami University throughout by: Sophia Delgado and Madelyn Delgado Miami University Class of 2014 B.A., Architecture, Forthcoming, College of Creative Arts Layout and Design by: Catherine Scott and Adam Cassidy Miami University Class of 2013 B.F.A., Graphic Design, College of Creative Arts Paper Produced by: Students in Paper Science and Engineering, Miami University Coordinated by Douglas W. Hart, Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering Supported by the Paper Science and Engineering Foundation at Miami Printed and bound in the U.S.A.

Contents Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................vii Forward | president david c. hodge...................................................................................................................ix My Path and My Own Identity | thomas allen..................................................................................................1 The Red Brick Road | alicia auhagen................................................................................................................3 The Miami Guide | halle baltes...........................................................................................................................4 Unorthodox Journey | elliott batchelder..........................................................................................................5 The Gardens of Miami University | brent bielinski..........................................................................................8 Miami University: The Dusk of Fear | ernest (e.j.) blair, jr..........................................................................10 Stories of Courage from Old and New Miami | kayla chapa........................................................................12 We Are Miami University | darice chapel........................................................................................................14 Love | chris curme................................................................................................................................................15 Prodesse Quam Conspici | dominic d’amico......................................................................................................16 The Bridge Between | emily dangler.................................................................................................................17 Untitled | calvin davis...........................................................................................................................................19 The Red Bricks of Miami: Building on the Past to Create the Future | megan dincher...........................................................................21 Miami, My Ami | taylor duy.............................................................................................................................23 Promises of the Future, Stories of the Past | katherine eagle.........................................................................26 Think | maddie earley..........................................................................................................................................29 A Miami Tradition | robert elias........................................................................................................................31 Untitled | albert ryan fay....................................................................................................................................32 The Legacy of the Seal | cretora gegel.............................................................................................................34 Converging Paths of Greatness | sara giska.......................................................................................................35 Made it Miami | melissa goldberg......................................................................................................................37 Prodesse Quam Conspici | andrew grant.........................................................................................................39 Down the Walk | anne k. halle..........................................................................................................................40 Collections | catherine hammerschmidt..........................................................................................................43

Seasons | thomas herrick.....................................................................................................................................45 The Miami Condition | jake hofstetter...........................................................................................................46 You Only Live Once: Making the Best of Your Time at Miami University | stephen hudson........................................................47 The Life I Led | tara keesling.............................................................................................................................50 Becoming a Part of History | anissa khan.........................................................................................................52 Forever and a Day | jacob lavon..........................................................................................................................53 You are Miami | rebekah linton........................................................................................................................55 Old Miami, New Miami, Our Miami | elaine lynch.....................................................................................57 Love and Honor to Miami | sarah madson.......................................................................................................59

Winning Essays First-Year Class Winner: With Love and Honor | michelle r. johnston..................................................................................................65 Sophomore Class Winner: Obstinate Motion | laura hower........................................................................................................................68 Junior Class Winner: Miami: Where We Love is Home | laura dewire............................................................................................69 Senior Class Winner: Our Legacy | olivia kerrigan..............................................................................................................................71 Grand Prize Winner: We, on a Path to Wisdom | amanda hancock..................................................................................................73

Wisdom, Unity, and Discovery: A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of Miami University | jordan scott martin...............................78 Reflecting Pools | jessie motts.............................................................................................................................81 Stones | libby mueller...........................................................................................................................................83 We, as Miamians | conor nelson........................................................................................................................85 Miami University: A Life Shaper and Identity Creator | megan nichols......................................................87 Where We Belong | michael nied.......................................................................................................................91 Love and Honor | morgan o’banion...................................................................................................................93 A Seal, an Impression: Miami, the Library of Experiences | salvatore d. papa, jr..............................................................................95

Yesterday, Today and Forever: The Story of Our Lives | brandon patterson.............................................98 Quintessence | benjamin paulides......................................................................................................................101 Miami, Here’s to Thee | rebecca peets.............................................................................................................103 Take a Look at This Excellent Place | songyue qian......................................................................................105 From the Old, the New is Created | josie ridgeway.......................................................................................107 The Challenge of Old Miami | jordan rinard...............................................................................................109 To Accomplish Without Being Conspicuous | samuel seeds.........................................................................112 The Truth Within The Legacy | tenika rae seitz..........................................................................................114 Legacies, Heritage, and Living History | rachel shapiro...............................................................................117 GBD: Grasp, Balance, & Discover Yourself | akane shiba.............................................................................119 Forever and a Day | bridget simpson.................................................................................................................122 The Miami Difference | ellen spence...............................................................................................................124 The Real Way to Spell Miami | jane streeter................................................................................................127 You, the Student | lindsey sukeena..................................................................................................................129 Love and Honor | evan trout.............................................................................................................................131 A Journey Worth Cherishing | sonam tsomo...................................................................................................133 Untitled | jessica walpole...................................................................................................................................135 If The Red Bricks Could Talk | nicole weinrich..........................................................................................137 Building a Foundation | emily williams...........................................................................................................139 Never Stop Exploring | lindsay williams........................................................................................................142 Connecting the Puzzle Pieces | heather wintle.............................................................................................143 What is the What? | yue you..............................................................................................................................145 Our College, Old and Grand | elizabeth young.............................................................................................147

Tri Delt Sundial Pen and Ink Madelyn and Sophia Delgado, Class of 2014

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Acknowledgements

W

hen President Hodge approached me in

This project is also indebted to the members of the Miami

the fall of 2012 about putting together a

community who served on the awards committee. Thanks

collection of student writing to be featured

to students Blaire Mikesell (Class of 2016), Erik Gunkel

in the Bicentennial Rotunda of the new Armstrong

(Class of 2015), Forrest McGuire (Class of 2014), Jonathan

Student Center, I was impressed with the idea of featuring

Wheeler (Class of 2013), and Nick Miller (Class of 2013

student voices at the centerpiece of campus. What better

and representing the Associated Student Government);

way to capture what Miami truly means and demonstrate

to faculty members Denise McCoskey (Classics), T. M.

in a material way the centrality of writing to the Miami

Rajikumar (Information Systems and Analytics, Farmer

experience?

School of Business), Bo Brinkman (Computer Science and Software Engineering), Diana Royer (English), Diane

I think after reading these pieces you’ll be as impressed

Fellows (Architecture and Interior Design), Sally Lloyd

as those involved in the creation of this book by the

(Educational Leadership); staff member Katie Wilson

dedication of Miami students and the degree that Miami’s

(Director, Armstrong Student Center); Gail Kist-Kline

heritage and history resonate with them. Even though I’ve

(Alumnus and Mason, Ohio, Schools Superintendent); and,

been at Miami since 1995, I found that after reading the

finally, Valerie Hodge (President’s Office), who supported

submissions to the writing contest that make up this book,

the creation of this book in multiple ways.

I haven’t been able to walk the campus the same way again.

Thanks also to John Weigand, Chair of the Department

Over eighty students entered The Great Seal Essays

of Architecture and Interior Design at Miami, and to Peg

Writing Contest in April 2013. Out of that group an

Faimon, Chair of the Department of Art, for recommending

awards committee made up Miami students, staff, and

their students who have added their talents to this project

faculty narrowed the entries down to the top 12 to be voted

and done such outstanding work. I also want to recognize

on by the student body for top honors by class year, and

the efforts of Katie Wilson in Student Affairs, who, along

then made the difficult decision of who would receive the

with serving on the awards committee, helped coordinate

grand prize—the essay to be featured permanently in the

the student voting for the finalists.

book that stands within the Great Seal of the Bicentennial Rotunda. You’ll find the winning entries in the center of

Members of University Communications and Marketing

this book, an exact replica of the version in the Great Seal.

also contributed a great deal to this project: Deedie Dowdle made sure we sought out the right people for the many

This project truly was a collaborative effort and—we’re

smaller parts of this project, Tracy Hughes supported us in

proud to announce—was entirely student produced. The

ways we were aware of and in ways we probably weren’t,

contents of course are written by current Miami students,

and Barbara Maccombs was, without exaggeration, the

and the twelve pen and ink sketches of famous Miami

person who made this project run as smoothly as it did.

landmarks were commissioned for this book and rendered with great skill by sisters Madelyn and Sophia Delgado,

I also am particularly grateful to Lisa Blankenship, Interim

both Architecture majors, Class of 2014. The layout and

Associate Director of the Howe Writing Center, whose

design were created by recent Miami grads Catherine Scott

creative vision and eye for detail ensured that this book

and Adam Cassidy, both Graphic Design majors, Class of

captures the spirit of Old and New Miami.

2013. The paper in the version of the book encased in the Finally, thanks to all the students who voted for the

Miami Great Seal was made by students in the Chemical

winners, and, of course, to all those who submitted pieces

Engineering-Paper Science program at Miami under the

to this book and shared what it means to them to be part

direction of Doug Hart, coordinated by Candace Crist in

of Miami University.

the Paper Science and Engineering Foundation.

Kate Ronald Director, Howe Writing Center and Professor of English Miami University

vii

The Great Seal Pen and Ink Madelyn and Sophia Delgado, Class of 2014

viii

Forward

I

n March 2013 I invited the Miami student body to mark the opening of the Armstrong Student Center by helping to write a piece of Miami history. By submitting an entry to the Great Seal

Writing Contest, Miami students literally were able to “write” the book you now hold and that is

housed permanently within the Great Seal in the Armstrong Student Center Bicentennial Rotunda.

The Great Seal includes three elements in a circle: an open book represents the accumulated wisdom of the centuries, passed on to the current generation through their reading, the globe symbolizes the present moment shared by all peoples, and the telescope points to the future yet to be discovered. These elements look to the past, the present, and the future—exactly what I asked students to do as they responded to the prompt for The Great Seal Essays: As they pass the Great Seal in the Bicentennial Rotunda of the Armstrong Student Center, future generations will look for wisdom and wit in your words. In your Miami experience, what wisdom have you gained from the University’s heritage that you would like to pass on? In other words, what values, beliefs, and experiences connect “Old Miami” and “New Miami”?

The entries you’ll find within these pages contain an extraordinary account of how Miami’s rich heritage has been passed down to contemporary Miami students, what that heritage means to them, and how they will make the world better by having been at Miami.

I am proud of the students who submitted essays, and thankful to all those who were part of making this book a reality.

Enjoy reading these evocative essays as we launch a new, exciting chapter in Miami’s history. The opening of the Armstrong Student Center will bring together the rich academic experience, friendships, and community that make up the unforgettable Miami experience that these essays capture so well.

Love and Honor,

David C. Hodge 21st President, Miami University

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